Pickpocket
by SilverFangirl
Summary: AU, All Human. After coming out to his father, Alec is kicked out of his house and into the streets of Manhattan. He's hungry, desperate, and willing to steal. But when he unwittingly picks Magnus Bane as a target to pickpocket, he is finally noticed. What will happen when Magnus invites him into his home? Alec/Magnus. Rated T for mild language, violence, romance, and adult themes.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, world, or anything from Cassandra Clare. They're all hers, I just mess with the characters. I own nothing. Please don't sue me :)**

Cold. It's so cold here in the winter. By here, I mean Lower Manhattan in New York. I don't know exactly where I am- addresses really lose their meaning when you don't have one. A lot of things lose meaning out on the streets- love, family, friends. A lot of things gain new meanings- I hadn't experienced cold or hunger until I got out here. Black hair and blue eyes don't get you much on the streets, I'll tell you that. What does is young looks or the willingness to degrade yourself to almost nothing. Sure, I beg, but I've never considered prostitution as a way to eat. The best way to live out here, though, is stealing. I know it's wrong and I feel terrible about it, but it's hard to feel guilty when you haven't eaten in three days.

My fingers have become nimble and quick, but they're so cold out here. It's a sort of mind-numbing cold that consumes you, makes you want to huddle in a ball and sit there. Most people haven't experienced that, but I have. Just one of those fancy jackets most of the people who pass by me wear, and I might even be warm enough to get rid of this infernal cough that I have. Cold, cold, cold. Lots of words sound weird if you think them enough times. Cold, cold, cold, cold, cold. My head spins. I keep repeating a phrase to everyone who walks by without even glancing down at me.

 _Please, anything helps. God Bless._

That's what it says on my sign. Usually gets me some loose change out of pity, but the miserable weather is making everyone tired and selfish. It's been three hours and I've gotten exactly one dollar and twelve cents. I guess nobody wants to give money to the ratty looking kid. Makes sense, I guess. I look like your typical run away- I'm not, but that's what most people assume when they see a teen out here. Especially a teen guy.

I don't think anybody would care if I put my story on my sign. Of how I came out to my dad on June 28 and was out of the house by noon the next day. To kick me out during Pride month, of all things. And that's exactly why I don't put my story on my sign. Let's just say that my father's views aren't exactly out of place here in New York. I learned that the hard way the first few days I was out here. Those bruises took a long time to fade- and now I have a nice scar down my cheek to complete my vagabond look. Seriously, people out here are assholes. Would it kill them to give me a dollar?

I watch as a couple pass by. They're exactly what my father wants: a tall, strong guy with his arm around a young, blond woman. For no reason, they fill me with rage. I want to hurt them, but I won't. That's not fair. It's not their fault that I have a horrible father. But I'm so hungry- thirsty, too, and cold and sad and angry on top of that. I hold up my sign pitifully.

"Please, anything, anything helps."

I'm surprised yet again how scratchy and painful my voice is. It sounds like how I feel, which might also be why so few people are willing to stop by.

I'm jolted out of my short thoughts as the _perfect_ couple notices me.

"Aw, look, there's a stray! Nate, babe, can we throw him a dollar? He's pretty, too!"

Her voice is piercing and tinny, like a tea kettle. It's all I can do not to wince and flinch away as the man (Nate?) leans down and glares at me before placing a few coins in my hand. He wipes his hand on his coat as he stands up and whispers to me the words I've heard so many times.

"Useless street rat."

He grabs the woman's hand again.

"Come on, Amy. This weirdo creeps me the hell out."

They walk away.

$1.63 in three and a half hours. I know that it's nowhere near enough to buy anything warm, so I'll have to continue saving. I guess in the meantime, I'll steal some saltines from the Quik Mart. I begin the two mile trek. Did I mention that it's snowing? Yep. It's snowing a proper blizzard out here- I can't even feel my feet and my entire chin is numb. This thin scrap of a jacket isn't near enough to provide even the slightest imitation of warmth. I sigh and continue to walk.

I haven't had a proper meal in about 4 days- what I really want is something hot. Unfortunately, there's a distinct lack of any fast-food places in this area. You'd have to go to Chelsea for that, and I don't have the ability to walk that far. So, I'll have to steal.

As I approach a busy street, I pull myself higher and stand with my head up: it's the only way to blend in. Nothing can disguise my chattering teeth, but hopefully someone rich looking will pass by soon. The woman in a black pantsuit? No, she'd notice me. Her money is probably in her expensive looking purse, and it's hard to reach into someone's purse even without numb fingers. The short, balding man in a expensive looking jacket? He won't work either, he looks smart and he keeps looking around- it seems like he knows this area's reputation.

My eyes narrow as I see a possible target behind me. He's wearing a fitted maroon jacket that positively screams wealth; he's young- maybe 19, 20; he's staring at a smartphone, so he's probably a naive tourist looking for directions. Perfect. He's handsome, too… no, I can't think like that. Even if he is hot, I need the money. He keeps reaching into his back left pocket, so that's probably where his wallet is.

I slow my stride gradually, allowing him to catch up to me. As he comes near, I slowly sneak my hand towards his pocket. Even though I can barely feel my hands, my muscle memory keeps my fingers deliberate and my motions as minimal as possible. He doesn't even notice as I withdraw a wallet from his back pocket.

Now with the man's cash in hand, I again slow down and wait for him to pull ahead of me in the flood of people rushing to catch the 5:00 subway. Like so many times before, I slip away into a side alley and quietly pry open the wallet. A large cloud of glitter bursts out and coats my hands, marking them a bright red. To add insult to injury, there's only a piece of paper stating "thieves never prosper :)". The happy face at the end mocks me, saying that I won't get to eat tonight either.

How can I leave this area like this? That tall man was not, apparently, a tourist, but an experienced local who had a prepared fake wallet. He must've expected someone to steal. I've seen people with wallets like these before, he'll have noticed me taking it if he had already prepared something this elaborate. In fact, he's right near the exit of the alleyway.

Damn it, damn it, damn it. Stupid, stupid Alec.

He's coming closer to the alley. He looks angry.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have, please don't hurt me, please, please."

He crouches down and looks at me. I instinctively curl into a ball, the way I've survived innumerable beatings before. The next thing he says is something I haven't heard for the entire 7 months I've been out here.

"Are you okay? I won't hurt you."

 **Author's Note: Thanks for reading! This is my first ever fanfic, so no flames please :). Good? Bad? Please review if you can/want to! I'll continue this soon.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything from Cassie Clare :)**

The man has strange eyes. They look like those of a cat, glimmering green and gold. My head spins as I fumble to think. My mind is heavy with cold fog and my voice is barely a quiet stammer.

"I… I don't know."

Why did I say that? He'll walk away now, surely, disgusted with my pathetic response. And yet he doesn't. Instead those strange eyes fill with an emotion I know is sympathy, but it doesn't register. I rock back and forth.

He's going to hurt me. Oh god, he's going to hurt me. Please, please, please.

My legs fold up even tighter and I hug my arms around them, preparing for the pain that I'm still sure is to come.

The man touches my chin and gently lifts my face up. I flinch away and he quickly removes his hand. This man's actions are strange too, like his eyes. Does this mean he really doesn't mean me harm? He speaks again, quieter this time. Damn it, he thinks he did something wrong and now he'll think I'm a child.

"What's your name, blue eyes?"

I gape at him with wide eyes- nobody's ever called me that before.

"W-w-w-what?"

"Your name, blue eyes. Don't tell me the cold has left this beautiful boy without an equally beautiful voice, has it?"

His words are kind and completely alien to me. I can feel the heat of a bush racing through my cheeks. I manage to stutter out another response.

"A-a-Alec-c-c. Short f-f-for Alexand-d-der."

He smiles at me with the warmth I've only ever felt from my siblings.

"Alec- cute. I like blue eyes better, though. What would you say to coming home with me?"

My eyes narrow. I thought this guy was going to be different, but apparently not. My voice is scratchy, but still filled with anger.

"I am _not_ a prostitute!"

His eyes widen in response and he steps back, lifting his hands in a gesture of surrender. He shakes his head frantically.

"No, no, that's not what I meant! Just… to come in and get warm, take a bath, eat some proper food. No offense, but you look like you need it."

He's… offering me a room? And food? Strange, indeed. I quietly nod and try to smile, although my cracked lips don't want to move. I slowly push myself to my feet and stand wobbily. The man offers me a hand and I take it. He's warm and his hand is soft. This time, a genuine smile pushes itself onto my face.

'I never g-got your name. Do I-I just h-h-have to call you c-cat eyes?"

The man laughs softly. He's even better-looking when he smiles- it reminds me of my little brother Max, the way his smile fills me with warmth even in this freezing weather.

"Magnus- Magnus Bane."

He starts leading me out of the alley. A few people turn and stare at us as we exit the alley. My cheeks are already flushed from the cold, but I blush even more as they look at us. Do I really look that bad? The man, Magnus, is still walking. I didn't realize how tall he was. He's at least a couple inches taller, and I still tower over most people. We stop in front of a grey car. I don't recognize the logo on the hood, but it looks expensive. Magnus pulls open the passenger seat door and gestures for me to go in.

It looks so nice- I don't want to ruin it with my dirty, wet clothes. I know the leather seats he has are really hard to get stains out of. He looks at me.

"You okay?"

I nod. I can't ruin his nice car.

"I just… I don't want to mess up your seats. They're so pretty and clean and I'm… not."

He shakes his head and gestures again for me to get in.

"That's fine. I can always clean seats, or send them to the dealership. Just get into the car."

He pauses and laughs quietly.

"I just realized how creepy I sounded- but seriously, just get in the car. Seats can be cleaned."

Hesitantly, I sit down. It's just a car seat, but it's the first time I've sat on something soft the entire time I've been out here. He climbs into the driver's seat and pulls out, then starts driving. The seat is so soft that I can't resist closing my eyes.

I feel a hand on my shoulder and I blearily wake. Then I realize that something's not right. The seat I'm on is too soft, and I'm too warm. I open my eyes and see a man looking at me.

"Alec? We're here."

I shake my head.

"Who are you? Where am I?"

He frowns and looks at me.

"Do you not remember? I'm Magnus Bane- you tried to pickpocket me, I caught you, I asked you to come home with me, you said yes, and fell asleep in my car. We're right outside my house."

The memories come rushing back in a flood. I nod, grimacing as I stretch my stiff muscles. I get out of the car and stand up. The house in front of me is huge, with arcing Victorian windows and at least 4, if not more, floors. It's painted a beautiful shade of dark blue with cream accents- I've never been in a house this gorgeous. Magnus starts moving up the stone path and I follow him. It then strikes me how cold I still am. My teeth are still chattering and my ragged coat apparently hadn't dried while I was sleeping.

I continue following Magnus's quick stride up. He presses a small button next to the door and speaks into it.

"Magnus Bane."

Then a pause.

"Catarina, you know it's me. You've worked for me for three years, you should know my voice by now. Fine, the password is _kutukan."_

There's a loud click and the door swings open. I gasp. Magnus's house is the most perfect thing I've seen for a while. Actually, make that ever. Wide, maple staircases swoop gracefully. The whole room is tiled with exotic looking artwork filled with bright, swirling lines. Magnus steps in through the doorway and I trail him, still gaping at the beauty of this house. He steps up a staircase and begins to climb. We turn into a carpeted hallway. He stops and turns around, spreading his arms wide.

"Welcome to my humble abode!"

I smile. I feel so out of place, though, because my ragged clothing doesn't share the faint scent of sandalwood that is here, because my hair is overgrown, not carefully sculpted like everything else here, because I don't belong in such a nice place anymore.

Magnus points to a room down the hall.

"That's the bathroom, if you want to take a shower. There should be soap and whatever else you need in there, but if there's anything that you want and can't find, just press the blue button by the door and say what you desire. One of my maids will bring it to you. Just leave your clothes outside the door-a maid will also bring you some new things. You're probably about my size, right?"

I silently nod and walk quietly to the bathroom. I'm being rude, but I can't bring myself to care now that the prospect of a shower is here. I step into the bathroom and gasp. It's as big as my room at _his_ house- all white and shiny and tiled. I leave my clothes in a heap outside the door and grab some shampoo and soap. I turn on the shower. It's so warm- I never really got used to the cold. When I finally turn off the stream of water, I finally feel human again.

 **AN: Thanks for reading! I'll try to update every week or so, but school's pretty hectic (so I might be kinda irregular). Please R &R :)**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: No matter how much I want to be Cassandra Clare, I still don't own anything .**

I step out of the shower and wrap a towel around my waist, then carefully open the door. There's a neatly folded pile of clothes sitting there. I quickly grab them. I unfold the pile and gasp. I've never felt fabric like this before- soft and sleek. I see a dark blue jacket and black jeans. I'm grateful that the maid who brought these didn't pick something like Magnus is wearing. It's strange to think that a person brought these to me- it's a level of luxury I'm unfamiliar with. I slip on the clothing and stare into the mirror. I look so different now than I did this morning. My hair is going wild, so I grab a few pins to get it out of my face. It feels so weird to be clean when you haven't been for months. I look at my face one last time, take a deep breath, and step into the hallway.

As I step onto the soft carpet, I realize that I'm not wearing anything on my feet like Magnus was earlier. Is that wrong? My breaths instinctively speed up and I get the sudden urge to curl up again. I force myself to take more deep breaths.

Pull yourself together, Alec. Magnus isn't going to hurt you. If he wanted you to wear shoes or socks, he would've sent them. Breathe. You're going to be okay.

I reopen my eyes, although I don't remember closing them. I steady myself against the railing and carefully walk down the steps. There's nobody around. Where am I supposed to go? I begin to wander.

"Sir?"

A soft voice behind me only increases my confusion. Why are they calling me that? I'm not Magnus, they don't work for me- I'm just some homeless kid that Magnus brought home with him. I turn around and see a short woman with blue hair behind me. She's smiling at me.

"Mister Bane asked me to find you when you were done with your shower. My name is Catarina."

I smile back- I can't help it, it's so odd to be addressed with a term of respect. Especially from someone older than me, even if it's only by a few years. She's wearing simple black pants and a white button down. I vaguely remember Magnus saying the name Catarina when we first came to the house. I'm guessing from her attire and way of speaking that she's one of the maids that Magnus was talking about earlier.

"Thank you, Ms. Catarina. Where should I go to find him?"

She blushes and shakes her head.

"I'm not a Ms., please just call me Catarina. I was told to lead you there, if that's all right. Not that you're not capable of finding your way, sir, but this is a large house and I believe he feared you may lose your way. No offense intended."

I nod and grin at her, trying to set her mind at ease. Is this what Magnus requires from his staff? If so, he's not the same person that offered me food. Or maybe she's just nervous around me. I almost laugh at the thought. Her, nervous about being too disrespectful of me! This is such a different world than I'm used to.

"Then lead on, fair lady."

She giggles and begins to stride down the hallway. I feel a sudden wave of humiliation- I'm so lost and out of place here, I don't belong. The feeling of wanting to hide returns. I make my feet move and follow Catarina. She stops in front of a wood door with a beautiful mosaic set into it. She knocks on the door and Magnus's voice calls from inside.

"Come in!"

Catarina pulls the door open and gestures for me to go in. She smiles encouragingly at me and winks as I step in. As she shuts the door behind me, I look around in wonder. Magnus waves me over to the table he's sitting at. He's smiling.

"Good to see you didn't drown in the shower, blue eyes. How are you feeling?"

I look at him carefully. He looks… sincere. Like I can trust him. There's no malice on his face that I can see and no hint of sarcasm in his words.

"I'm… better."

I choose my words carefully. I'm not so scared now, but I still don't know this man. The unknown can be great, but it can also be horrible. Anyways, I do want to get to know him. Partially because I'll learn which story to tell him about how I ended up on the streets. The truth? Or the breaking up with a "girlfriend" that I use when I'm not sure? But that's only partially. I also want to get to know him for a reason I can't explain.

His eyes light up when I say that. His smile is so happy that it feels contagious.

"Good. You're probably hungry, right?"

Then he frowns and shakes his head.

"What am I thinking, of course you are. What type of food do you like?"

He's asking… what type of food I like? He's actually asking me that. Now that he mentions food, I notice the gnawing hunger in my stomach.

"Um… I like any kind of food. Thai is really good, and so is pizza. But I'm good with whatever you want. And food would be good."

He laughs quietly. Did I do something wrong? Why's he laughing? He holds up his hands in mock surrender.

"Whoa, Alec. Relax. You said pizza, right?"

I nod. Magnus smiles again. He motions to the chair next to him. I sit down in it hesitantly, but I feel a lot better about being on the furniture now that I'm clean. The way Magnus sits on his chair reminds me of a bird- he's just barely perched on the edge, looking like he's about to take flight. He scribbles down something on a piece of paper, gets up, opens the door, and hands it to Catarina, who's waiting outside. I blush that she's been hearing this conversation, even though it's not personal. Magnus strolls back and sits down again, still looking like a bird. Even his hair reminds me of a bird, spiky and colored. He grins triumphantly.

"One large pizza, on the way. I should've asked what you wanted, so I'm just having some people bring a bunch of toppings. Is that good?"

I nod and give him a thumbs up. What did he expect, the homeless kid to be picky? It's hard to be annoyed at him. Those strange eyes of his are rather hypnotizing.

"So… I'm not really sure what to talk about- I'm not great at small talk."

He shrugs in response, although it's a carefree motion. I tentatively smile at him and he smiles back.

"Neither am I. How about… what's your favorite color?"

I stare at him awkwardly.

"Um….. I have no idea."

There's a long pause and then we both start to laugh at my clumsy response. It feels good to laugh. We're interrupted by a gentle knock on the door and an unfamiliar woman's voice.

"Sir, I have the pizza you wanted."

Magnus walks over to the door. The chairs we've been sitting in are close enough that I can hear their conversation.

"Thank you, Anna. And I've told you, please call me Magnus. It makes me feel old when any of you call me sir."

So he's kind and he cares about his staff. The weird way Catarina was speaking earlier must be because of me- apparently Magnus hasn't told anybody about where I was. I wonder what they think I am.

"Magnus. Sorry, I keep forgetting. It's just that I don't want to be informal with your new companion."

That confirms it. I want to laugh at the absurdity of the staff being on edge about being to informal with me. Magnus smiles at her and takes the pizza. He comes back over and sets the pizza on the low table between us. He pulls out two plates from inside the box and takes a piece of pizza, then pushes the box to me. I grab a piece and nearly groan.

It's been so long since I've had hot food. The smell of the cheese makes me want to tear into it like an animal, but I wait for Magnus to take the first bite. When he does, I start to devour the pizza. It tastes so much better than the crackers I've been living off of for the last 7 months. It's only after I've eaten two slices that I pause to see Magnus staring at me. I blush.

"Hungry, huh? How long were you out there?'

I look at him carefully, not knowing if he's teasing or just curious.

"7 months."

He nods.

"Good thing you're getting some food into you. Might want to slow down, though, blue eyes. I don't want to get you sick."

I give him a thumbs up. Even that simple gesture feels alien to me. I feel weird eating like this when he's so reserved, but hopefully he won't judge me for it.

"So, blue eyes. Do you mind me asking how you ended up out on there?"

I choke on my food and have a coughing fit. Which story do I tell him? I think he's friendly enough. He seems different from a lot of the other richer people than I've met. He treats his staff well, so that means he's probably open-minded. And he does dress rather nicely and his hair is colorful, so he probably won't judge me too much for being 'different'. At least, I hope he won't.

I take a deep breath.

"I came out to my dad on June 28th. He… didn't react well. And then, well, the rest is history. I've been begging and stealing on the streets since then. So, that's my sob story. If you have a problem with my being gay, then I'll leave now."

 **AN: Thanks for reading :) Please review! Happy Thanksgiving!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: Nothing has changed, and I still don't own TMi :(**

Magnus stares at me. He looks... confused. Damn it.

"I… I have to go."

He gets up and walks away. His shoulders are tense, like he's angry. He's angry at me for being gay. I try to breathe, but it feels like I can't get oxygen into my lungs. He hates me. He hates me. I don't belong here. Why did I have to mess this up? I

 _I'm so nervous. Robert's on the sofa, watching football. To him, this is just a normal day. But to me, I've been thinking about it for a long time. I inhale, then release the air in a quiet rush. I walk over and sit down on the couch. Not close enough to make him nervous, nor too far for him to hear me. I've planned everything. I force myself to calm- it'll be okay. He's my father. I look at him._

" _Father?"_

" _Yes, Alexander? What is it? I'm trying to watch the game."_

 _I pinch myself on the wrist and let the slight pain bring me down from the anxiety._

" _I- I have something to tell you."_

 _He looks at me impatiently. I clench my fist and lick my lips._

" _Well, get on with it, then."_

" _Father, I'm gay."_

 _He turns around and looks at me. His voice is filled with barely controlled rage._

" _Pardon me?"_

" _I'm gay. I… I like boys."_

 _His face contorts and I see his fists clench. A vein stands out on his neck. If he could, I think he would bare his teeth at me. Oh god. What the hell have I done?_

" _Get out of my house. You're no son of mine- you're an abomination."_

 _I look at him, terrified. Did he… did he really mean that? My own father hates me. For loving. Robert flares his nostrils and holds up his fist._

" _You heard me, boy. You have 20 minutes to get your miserable things. Get out of my house."_

 _He picks up the beer can next to him and hurls it at me. I duck, but it grazes my shoulder- that hurts._

A firm hand lands on my shoulder. I freeze, and then I realize the hand is too soft, too small to be Robert's. I look up and meet Catarina's eyes. She's looking at me with concern clear on her face. I struggle to control my breathing, but I'm still panting. The room is spinning and I'm nauseous.

"Mister Alexander? Are you alright?"

I try to answer. I can't.

I'm in somewhere new. I can feel soft fabric against my skin, and what feels like a fluffy blanket gently weighs down on me. The air still has the faint scent of sandalwood that seems to be everywhere, but it's muddled by the smell of rubbing alcohol. Cautiously, I open my eyes and yelp when I see _him_. Magnus is sitting near me in a chair. He jumps up.

"Alec! Are you feeling okay?"

I give him the stoniest glare I can while my head is still spinning. I have a feeling that it would be more effective if I could cross my arms and stand up, but that's probably not a great idea right now. His face softens and somehow crumples at the same time.

"Damn it. I'm so stupid. Sorry for being such an ass earlier. I swear, I'm not a homophobe. I was just surprised, that's all. Please, Alec, I'm so goddamn sorry."

I can see the tears forming in his eyes. I sit up and instantly regret it as my head temporarily explodes with pain. I swallow hard and look at him. He looks genuinely sorry.

"Um… I forgive you, I guess. But why were you surprised?"

He sighs and looks away from me.

"Well, I suppose it's because I had already convinced myself that I had no chance."

"Huh?"

He looks back up, straight into my eyes.

"Alec, I'm bi."

I whip my head back up to look at him. I don't even feel the pain this time. This man, this gorgeous, smart, kind man is… like me? He nods, answering my unsaid question.

"I suppose I'll ask again. How are you feeling? I was so worried. Catarina told me you passed out. Alec, that was three freaking hours ago! I'm so glad you're awake. I should've paid attention to you, I'm sorry. Catarina said it was from shock and exhaustion. Are you okay?"

I open my mouth, confused for a moment. I think about what he is saying.

"I feel like crap. But I'll live, I think. My head hurts like a bitch. Any chance of some Advil?"

He grins at me.

"Absolutely. You up for food, blue eyes?"

I groan. That nickname again? I get up and wobble a bit, then nod. He turns around and begins walking. After we pass through a hallway and move down a set of stairs, Magnus dramatically yanks open an old-looking door. It's getting old gasping every time we enter a new room, but I can't help it. It's so beautiful in this house, and this dining room is no exception. It's decorated more cozily than the other parts of the mansion I've been in, with squashy armchairs sitting by a fireplace and elaborate woven tapestries hanging everywhere. There's a wide glass window, and as I look out at the view, I can see a city skyline and stars pepper the sky over a glowing highway. It's later than I thought if the sun is already down. That doesn't mean much because the sun sets here at 4:30 in the winter, but I'd guess it's around 7 o'clock or so.

"Hey, blue eyes. You still here?"

Magnus waves a tanned hand in front of my face. I giggle and nod. Magnus plops down in an armchair and grabs a small box with a button dangling from the fireplace.

"Alec, what do you want for dinner?"

A mischievous grin spreads across my face.

"Surprise me."

Magnus nods and presses the button.

"Challenge accepted. Maia, could you bring me the usual? Two servings, though. Thanks, sweetheart. You are an angel."

I hear a quiet laugh from the other end of the speaker. Then Magnus sets down the block. We awkwardly look at each other. I blush as his eyes roam over me. There's a knock at the door. A girl with caramel skin stands there, holding a small platter of food. She smiles at me.

"So you must be the famous Alexander! If you don't mind, we've got this for you to start off with. We'll be sending up more soon, but just a hint- put the fork in your left hand and the spoon in your right."

She winks and hands me the tray. The bowl on it looks like rice, but it smells like coconut and some spice I can't place. I walk back to Magnus and set the platter down. He smiles.

"Yes! Nasi kuning tonight!"

I must look rather confused.

"Oh, I forgot to explain. Tonight, we will feast on the food of my homeland of Indonesia. This is nasi kuning, steamed rice cooked with coconut milk and turmeric. They'll send up some other stuff later."

Magnus gracefully picks up a fork and spoon like Maia told me to. I mimic him as he grabs a smaller plate and scoops rice onto it. After he takes a bite, I follow him.

We dine in silence and I get up each time someone knocks, bringing more and more spiced dishes. When we're done, we sit, content and full. At least, I'm full. Magnus stands up and smiles at me. My stomach is roiling from having so much after having so little for so long, but it's a welcome sensation. Magnus walks and I again trail behind him for longer this time, and we go into another passage I haven't seen before. He stops in front of the largest door I've seen so far. It's elaborately carved in intricate designs and painted with vibrant glazes. He pulls out a necklace from under his shirt and uses the key held on it to unlock the door. We step in.

Magnus seems tired. He turns around wearily and speaks while lazily gesturing around.

"Welcome, blue eyes. I'm exhausted, so I'm going to go to bed. There's pajamas in that drawer. Take whatever you want except the rainbow glitter pants. This is the bathroom, and there should be some toothbrushes and toothpaste in the drawers. Good night, Alec. See you in the morning."

I quietly nod and grab a pair of pajamas. Hopefully these'll fit. I slip into the bathroom and get changed, then root through the drawers until I find toiletries. I don't want to be rude, so I'll get ready as fast as possible. After brushing my teeth, I walk out and lie down on the couch. Magnus sees me and shakes his head.

"Alec, you're taking the bed tonight. To be honest, darling, you need it."

Darling. That's a new one. I want to protest that this is his house, but I'm sagging at the thought of being in a real bed. I obediently lie down and smile at Magnus. He leans down and kisses my cheek. He whispers to me.

"Good night, Alec. Have good dreams."

I lie awake for a long time, my mind buzzing with questions and uncertainty. Magnus crashes on the sofa, and he's out in 5 minutes. He looks so graceful when he sleeps- his tanned skin is illuminated by the faint moonlight, and his slim torso is revealed just slightly by his rainbow pajamas. I can't sleep. This isn't where I belong- I belong out on the streets. With this thought comes a stream of fear that I can't control. Am I invading his space? Does he want me here? Why did he take me in? What does he want? Am I a bad person for thinking these? Robert's voice fills my head.

 _You're no son of mine._

 _You're an abomination._

The last phrase comes in Magnus's voice, and somehow not. It's twisted with fury.

 _Get out of my house._

I stand up and quietly open the door. My new coat- no, Magnus's coat that I borrowed- is on the ground. I silently beg him to forgive me. The house is eerily still and silent. I tiptoe down the stairs to where I've seen Catarina go. Please, let this be the kitchen. Luckily, I'm right, and there's a bowl of snacks sitting on the counter. This must be Magnus's food. A wave of guilt almost stops me from taking the food, but the logical part of my brain darts my hand out and steals some beef jerky and a few bars. I back out of the room and close the door. I walk down more steps until I recognize the first room I saw- the entry hall. There's a pen lying on the ground that someone must have dropped. I unwrap a bar and eat it, then write on the wrapper a note.

 _A good bye and a thank you. From Alec, the blue-eyed boy._

I place the wrapper on a banister, hopeful that a maid will find it.

I square my shoulders and open the front door as quietly as I can and slip out into the night.

 **AN: Thanks for reading! To my followers, favoriters, and reviewers, a big shout-out. You're awesome. Sorry for the long wait, but it's still Sunday, so that counts, right? Anyways, thanks for reading and PLEASE review. Hope you had a good Thanksgiving. Bye!**


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